How to hire a first assistant

How to hire a first assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step first assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a first assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new first assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the first assistant you need to hire. Certain first assistant roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A first assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, first assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents first assistant salaries for various positions.

   Type of First Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   First Assistant		$17-35
   Operating Room Nurse	An Operating Room Nurse assists surgeons during operations and keeps the operating room sterile at all times. They ensure that patients are ready for transport to the recovery room.	$20-51

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Patient Care
   • Surgical Procedures
   • Visualization
   • Suturing
   • CPR
   • Catheter
   • Rehabilitation
   • Sterile Technique
   • Sponges
   • Cleanliness
   • Plastic Surgery
   • Wound Closure
   • Retractors

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Teach patients and family members how to manage their post operative home care needs, self-administration of medication and rehabilitation
   • Execute and monitor strategic merchandising plans to achieve revenue objectives and reduce expenditures while ensuring payroll remains within budget.
   • Obtain health history via phone prior to surgery and triage patients upon arrival to the ASC.
   • Insert Foley catheters and intravenous catheter, if need.
   • Assist in orthopedics, plastics, ENT, urology, gynecology and ortho-neuro cases.
   • Provide preventative maintenance ensuring vessel's compliance with USCG regulations, inspections, and certificates.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your first assistant job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A first assistant can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, first assistants' average salary in maine is 46% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level first assistants 49% less than senior-level first assistants.
   • Certifications. A first assistant with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a first assistant's salary.

   Average first assistant salary

   $52,444yearly

   $25.21 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level first assistant salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a first assistant job description

   A first assistant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a first assistant job description:

   First assistant job description example

   Responsibilities
   Provides direct care and clinically manages patients in the Department of Orthopedics with a primary focus on providing care to patients with benign and malignant bone and soft tissue tumors. This position will focus on the evaluation and management of pediatric patients who have an oncologic orthopedic history. There is opportunity for both strong partnership and collaboration with an Orthopedic Tumor Surgeon but also opportunity for autonomous clinical decision making. This APP will have the opportunity to work alongside the Department of Orthopedics as well as to collaborate with the Hematology and Oncology Department to provide comprehensive evidence based care. This position prefers applicants who have experience with pediatric hematology and oncology diagnoses and a desire to work as part of a busy multidisciplinary collaborative surgical practice.
   #LI-SK1
   Job Posting Addendum
   First assist exprience required, orthopedics preferred. If an ARNP is applying, must have RNFA certificate
   Requirements
   Physician Assistant:
   Required Education/Experience: - Graduate of a nationally accredited physician assistant program. - Active clinical privileges as an Allied Health Provider, Seattle Children's Hospital. - One year work experience in a pediatric or family focused clinical area. Required Credentials: - Initial certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. - Active, unencumbered physician assistant, certified, licensure in the State of Washington. - Active Drug Enforcement Authority registration. - BLS for Healthcare Providers. Current PALS certification will be accepted in lieu of the BLS either at time of hire or as an annual competency. However, the incumbent is responsible for any costs (including time away from work) associated with obtaining PALS certification. (ACLS will not be accepted as a substitute to the requirements listed above.)
   Nurse Practitioner:
   Required Education/Experience:
   - Master's degree in nursing with a concentration in a pediatric or family nurse practitioner program
   - One year work experience in a pediatric or family focused clinical area
   Required Credentials:
   - Active, unencumbered registered nurse and advanced registered nurse practitioner licensure in the State of Washington
   - Current national certification as a pediatric or family nurse practitioner
   - Active Drug Enforcement Authority registration
   - At time of hire: Current Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers is required for all positions. Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization (PEARS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) will be accepted in lieu of BLS for Healthcare Providers.
   - Prior to start of employment, must obtain, and maintain in good standing, medical or allied health professional staff privileges that are not limited, revoked, suspended, conditioned, or probationary, except for normal probationary periods due to initial appointment. All medical and allied health professional staff members are provisional for the first year. - Any and all medical or allied health professional staff privileges at Children's will terminate automatically upon the termination of the individual's employment at Children's. Termination of employment does not prohibit the individual from seeking medical or allied health professional staff privileges at Children's as a non-employee in any category for which the individual qualifies. Questions regarding medical or allied health professional staff privileges may be directed to Medical Staff Services.
   About Us
   Hope. Care. Cure. These three simple words capture what we do at Seattle Children's -- to help every child live the healthiest and most fulfilling life possible. Are you ready to engage with a mission-driven organization that is life-changing to many, and touches the hearts of all? #HOPECARECURE
   Our founding promise to the community is as valid today as it was over a century ago: we will care for all children in our region, regardless of the families' ability to pay. Together, we deliver superior patient care, advance new discoveries and treatments through pediatric research, and serve as the pediatric and adolescent, academic medical center for Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho - the largest region of any children's hospital in the country.
   In 2020, U.S. News & World Report once again ranked Seattle Children's among the nation's best children's hospitals - for the 27th year in a row. We received national rankings in all 10 specialty areas evaluated by U.S. News & World Report, and are honored to be the only pediatric medical center in Washington to be ranked.
   As a Magnet designated institution, and classified among America's best large employers by Forbes, we recognize the importance of hiring and developing great talent to provide best-in-class care to the patients and families we serve. Our organizational DNA takes form in our core values: Compassion, Excellence, Integrity, Collaboration, Equity and Innovation. Whether it's delivering frontline care to our patients in a kind and caring manner, practicing the highest standards of quality and safety, or being relentlessly curious as we work towards eradicating childhood diseases, these values are the fabric of our culture and community. The future starts here.
   Covid-19 VaccinationIn accordance with Washington state law, Seattle Children's requires that all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. All offers are contingent and your vaccine status will be verified at onboarding.
   Our Commitment to Diversity
   Our community welcomes diverse experiences, backgrounds, and thoughts as this is what drives our spirit of inquiry and allows us to better connect with our increasingly diverse patients and families. Our organization recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.
   The people who work at Seattle Children's are members of a community that seeks to respect and celebrate all the qualities that make each of us unique. Each of us is empowered to be ourselves within this community, which cultivates and promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion at all levels.
   Seattle Children's is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Workplace and Affirmative Action Employer.PDN-9780c66b-b439-4576-ae89-af8de0e1657e

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right first assistant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with first assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit first assistants who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your first assistant job on Zippia to find and attract quality first assistant candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting first assistants requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new first assistant

   Once you've selected the best first assistant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new first assistant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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